from the ashes of war we rise like the stars in the sky
by purinsesu-sereniti
Summary: The world where the Avatar has fallen and the war was instead won by the Fire Nation is cruel and dark. Team Avatar tried to get the upper hand with a battle, but the battle cost them more than they could imagined. Those who survived were separated, unknowing if their teammates lived or died. Will they survive long enough to become a group once more? Zutara based.
1. Chapter 1

The dungeon was dark and damp.

The small cell in which she was held was windowless, the heavy steel door far too strong for her to even break down. She was tired and aching, hungry and frightened. Of all things she had experienced during this war, this was the worst. Even this topped the loss of her mother. This terrifying experience was unlike anything she'd ever faced before; starvation, torture, and constant fear. Never knowing if she was to die or to live.

After Aang had fallen to Ozai, everything had changed. With his life fled any hope the world had to end the war and trump the Fire Nation. She and the others had tried, had tried their best to keep on fighting, but then they'd suffered yet another loss and were separated. That had been months ago. She had lived on the run for awhile, hidden away by some still loyal to the deceased Avatar's cause. She had no contact with anyone she knew or loved- in truth, she didn't even know if they lived or had died. She missed them. She missed all of them.

Not long after fleeing the Earth Kingdom, she'd been caught; trapped in the middle of the night by a dozen Fire Nation soldiers. She'd fought her hardest to escape, breaking her own vow to never again blood bend, but she'd been overpowered and taken back to the Fire Nation. She'd been thrown into a prison there, left to rot for a week before she'd been taken to the palace, cleaned up by a maid, freshly dressed, and then had been put into the presence of the Fire Lord. He had told her to plead for her life, to swear a vow to him and to the Fire Nation in turn he would spare her life. She had spit at his feet.

And so, that was how she ended up where she was. A cold, dark cell that was hardly big enough to fit the pallet she tried to sleep upon each night. She glanced over to the wall, then to the other, and then to the door, a heavy sigh escaping her. Her ability to bend had fled weeks ago, too weak was she anymore; they hardly fed her and inflicted various tortures against her whenever they saw fit. She had to wonder though if life on the outside was any better. She wondered where her friends were.

It was late into the night and she could not sleep.

She had tossed and turned for hours, the pallet even more uncomfortable than usual; she'd finally given up and instead lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Then there came an unusual sound, footsteps… _Quiet_ footsteps. Ones that made it seem like the person did not want to be heard. She sat up, sapphire hues turning towards the door, waiting with baited breath for what was to come next. Silence. She continued to stare ahead, wondering for a moment if her hazy mind had merely imagined the footsteps. _Click._ The sound of a

key in the lock and she heard the unmistakable creaking of the hinges as the door slowly opened.

The person stood in the doorway, the light streaming in around them; a blue mask covered their face but she could tell the person was a male from his height and build. She blinked and scooted back on her cot, fear rising within her- was this another Fire Nation soldier sent to harm her?

"Katara?"

The syllables of her name… The pitch in the voice… Even after so many months it was familiar to her. Her heart leapt inside her chest and for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope. But she dared not let it ignite, for fear of being wrong, and so she remained deadly still on the pallet, eyes remaining focused on the masked man. "Katara…" Again, softer this time, and he took a few tentative steps into the room.

He could not believe his eyes; there she was, with those penetrating blue eyes and her long, dark curls. Zuko could see how sunken her cheeks had become, how her clothes hung from her frame, how frightened she looked. His heart was breaking within his very chest. It took every ounce of his self control to keep from rushing to her side and taking her into his arms. But he knew that would not help her right then, she was frightened and malnourished and certainly injured. She would need time. Would need him. "It's okay.." He murmured softly, holding out a hand to her, glancing one time behind his shoulder, ever alert for any sounds

that he'd perhaps been noticed. "I'm here to help you. It's going to be okay." He raised his hands then and lifted the mask, revealing to her his still familiar features. His amber-colored hues found hers and she closed her eyes for a moment, a slow smile spreading over her features. She opened her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but found she could not speak.

A shiver ran the length of her spine and Katara sucked in a deep breath; she could still hardly believe it, that he was here, that he was going to save her. Without thinking anymore about it, she reached out a hand, slipping it into his; she could feel the warmth of his skin through the leather gloves he had pulled over his hands, could feel the flutter of his pulse as her fingertips brushed across his wrist. He gently pulled her up from the cot and into his arms, embracing her as gently as he could, careful so did not further injure her. Her face buried into his chest and he reached a hand up, placing it against the back of her head as he held on to her a little bit tighter. "I can't believe it." She murmured, her voice hoarse and muffled against his chest.

He pushed her back, to hold her at arm's length, now able to inspect her a little more closely. He had felt how thin she was through her clothing, but now that she was right before his eyes he could really see. Her hair had grown longer, falling to her hips in knots. She was frail and bags marred her skin beneath both of her still beautiful blue eyes. Her left cheek was bruised and there was a cut above her right temple; he took hold of her arm, lifting it as so he could inspect it; it was covered in scrapes and burns, as was her other arm. He was certain that had he inspected the rest of her body, it too would be battered and bruised. He felt his temper rising like the tide and he swallowed it down. "I'm getting you out of here." He knew she would be unable to run, unable to fight, but he hoped their escape would be simple. Luckily, he knew this palace like the back of his hand, despite the many years it had been since living there. Turning around, he knelt down, gesturing for her to climb up. When she didn't move, he looked over his shoulder to offer her an encouraging smile. "It's okay, Katara… Climb up."

She did as she was told, climbing up onto his back as she had done hundreds of times growing up with both Sokka and her father. He slid his arms under her legs and once he felt she was stable and in place, he stood and before exiting he returned his mask to its proper place over his face. With careful steps, he left the cell, allowing the door to quietly close behind them. Katara hardly dared to breathe as he took off at a slow run, as he had to adjust to running with someone upon his back. But it took barely no time at all for him to pick up speed and he rounded a corner, amber eyes narrowed into slits behind his mask. He could hear voices in the distance and so he side-stepped into a thankfully empty room to his left. He stepped sideways, pressing himself against the wall, keeping his arms locked tightly beneath Katara's legs to keep her from slipping down his back. They both held their breath as the pair of Fire Nation soldiers walked by, deep in conversation about the Fire Lord's most recent outburst. "…Fire to all the curtains…" The one was saying as they rounded the very corner that he and Katara had just come around. His heart skipped a beat and he could only pray that they were not on their way to check in upon her. When their footsteps had died away, he returned to the hall and took off at a run once more.

They came to the end of the hall and Katara wondered if perhaps he'd taken a wrong turn, for they were at a dead end. She opened her mouth but was cut off as he held a finger to his mouth, a gesture for her to remain quiet. To her shock, there was a noise to their left and she froze, her heart pounding hard inside her chest. The statue of an old Fire Lord was inching sideways, revealing to them an opening to what she could only assume was a corridor of some kind. Then a face appeared and she could not help but to gasp at who it was: Iroh! He gestured for them to slip inside and once they had, he returned the statue to it's place, casting them into total darkness.

A moment later a flame flickered to life and Zuko turned to his uncle, who held a small flame within his palm, giving them just enough life to see. "It's safe," Iroh said, pointing down the corridor. His eyes flicked to Katara and then back to his nephew, keeping his face passive, though the young woman's appearance certainly was distressing. "They are all most distracted with the council meeting." They had chosen this very day to break into the palace and rescue Katara because of that very council meeting, one that his father was hoping to use to coerce the Earth Kingdom into rallying to his side. "But we most go quickly." With Iroh leading the way, they raced down the passage, until in the distance they could see a glimmer of light. Extinguishing his flame, Iroh pushed a rock from the opening, and sunlight spilled in. Katara closed her eyes against it, hissing softly in pain at the brightness. How long had it been since she'd last seen the light of the sun?

"Let's get her back." Zuko nodded and allowed for his uncle to lead the way through the trees, towards the place that they called home. Katara felt the relief spreading through her and she buried her face into his shoulder, comforted by the warmth of his body and the strength of his arms. It took no time at all before she drifted off, sleep overcoming her.

Finally, she could sleep.

[ x x x ]

She woke in a strange place, but no stranger than the place she'd been waking up in for months. It was a real bed she slept in, with a blanket and even a pillow. It all began to come back then, how the masked figure had appeared before her, how it had been Zuko beneath it. How he had come for her… How he had saved her. Reaching her hands up, she ran them over her face, eyes fluttering closed for several more seconds before she finally made the attempt to sit up.

Her body ached the same as it had in the dungeon and she felt a weight on her legs; looking down, she found the source to be Zuko's sleeping frame, draped over her legs as if he had been there all night long. But at her movements, he was waking, flying up closer to her head, dragging the chair along with him. Gently, he pushed her back against her pillows, knowing she was still too weak to be sitting up like that. "Katara! You're awake!" He looked as if he'd not slept in days, his eyes tired and his jaw line covered with stubble. "How do you feel? Do you need anything?"

At his question, she realized she was incredibly thirsty. "Water," she whispered, her parched throat giving her voice a hoarse quality. He rose instantly, reaching for the jug of water on the bedside table. Pouring out a little into a cup, he put one hand behind her head, the other held the cup to her dry lips. Carefully he tipped the cup back, allowing a little of the water to drip into her mouth. Giving her time to swallow the first gulp, he gave her another and then drew the cup away, setting it back onto the table. "How long…?" The words died on her lips and she watched his face darken slightly, unaware that he was flooded with the memory of finding her in that dungeon. Of how angry yet relieved he had been.

"It's been a few days since we got here…" He said softly, his eyes finding hers; she felt her heart skip a beat and she reached out a hand, sliding it over his that lay on his lap. She gave it a squeeze and he knew that wasn't the answer she was looking for. "Six, I think…" He looked away, unable to face her as the realization of how long she'd been locked away dawned upon her. Six months was a long time. A very long time.

"Wow…" She murmured, drawing her hand away then, absently rubbing it with her other. "I can't believe you found me… How…?" He looked back to her then and after a moment, began to recount to her how he'd come to find her. "When we all got separated… I came back here, I came looking for my uncle." He could still remember the exact moment he and his uncle had been reunited, how Iroh had cried, thinking his nephew had been lost in the most recent of fights. "He was here in the Fire Nation, hiding out here in this place." He gestured around them, indicating there was more beyond the four walls that confined them. "It's a tea shop." A low chuckle escaped him and to his surprise (and delight) she smiled, the brightest smile he'd seen since laying eyes upon her.

"But… How are you not found out? Surely he's recognized by soldiers?"

Zuko shook his head, golden eyes flashing slightly. "No, not out here… We're in the poorest part of the nation. There's no one here to recognize him. And no one here that even if they did they would turn him in." Ah, well that explained it. Of course the poorest people in the Nation would stand by the old general and the one-time prince. Well, he was still a prince by blood, but Katara had to wonder if he'd ever go by that title again. She felt herself growing weary though she longed to remain awake, to even rise from her bed and stretch her legs. She had been trapped in that dungeon for far too long. Zuko must have noticed that she looked tired because he was rising up, drawing the blanket a little further up her frame. "You should rest…" He poured her another small glass of water, helping her to slowly drink it down. "I'll come back later, but for now you need to rest." She gave a little nod and watched him as he walked across the room, pausing with his hand on the doorknob to turn back to look at her. "Sleep well." He watched as her face blossomed with another smile and she nodded, settling back against the pillows, her lids sweeping closed over her blue eyes within seconds. Zuko turned back to the door then and exited the room, leaving the door open a crack.

"She woke?" Iroh's voice drew him from his thoughts as he entered the main living area of the cottage; his tea shop was closed for the evening and so Iroh was home, waiting for news on the young woman and hoping it would be good. She had been in bad shape when Zuko had rescued her, but she was strong-willed and despite her injuries, his nephew believed she would live. It had been days since they'd brought her from the palace and she had not once woken. Iroh worried she would not wake. Zuko dropped down onto an empty chair and ran a hand over his tired features, giving a single, silent nod. "Incredible." Iroh muttered, shaking his head incredulously. "She's got a long way to go, nephew. She will need your help." Zuko turned his eyes to him then and he nodded again. "Go, go and get some rest yourself. I will look after her should she wake again." For a moment, Zuko remained in his place on the chair, eyes darting to the door that led into Katara's room. "She needs you to be well rested, Zuko." Iroh urged softly and those words seemed to do the trick, because it was then that Zuko rose up and came to stand at his beside him for a long moment. Zuko's hand enclosed over his shoulder and their eyes met in a silent exchange. Then he was gone, disappearing behind the door of his own room, the one directly next to Katara's,

As he climbed into his bed, he came to realize just how tired he was; he had spent four long nights at her bedside, as well as the four nights it had taken to travel to and from the palace. He pulled up his blanket and rolled onto his side, so he faced the wall that separated his and Katara's rooms. Zuko hoped she was sleeping and sleeping well; as he himself drifted off, he thought of her, of the way her eyes still shined as they had back then. He vowed to himself then that he'd never allow that shine to disappear. And just like that, he was asleep, lost to another world entirely.


	2. Chapter 2

Thunder rumbled low in the distance, dark storm clouds swirling overhead, threatening to spill rain and spit lightning. Inside her room, Katara looked out from the window-seat, the window opened to allow the warm wind to blow inside. She breathed it in and let it go, relishing in the rain-soaked scent of the wind, her sapphire hues watching the lightning as it streaked across the midnight sky. A fresh grumble of thunder was loud and overhead, causing her to nearly leap from her skin; a startled chuckle escaped her and she rose to her feet, unable to take it another moment longer.

She slipped her robe from her shoulders and dressed herself in a crimson tunic, one that had been brought to her earlier that day. Katara enjoyed the softness of the silk as it caressed her body, silk an expensive material she was not accustomed to, though it seemed Iroh made good money from his tea shop and had already begun to offer her things like clothing and even a necklace wrought of gold. She smiled, thinking fondly of the old man, one who never had anything but a good word to say. He had kept her company often while she rested, telling her tales of his days as a soldier and a prince. Iroh had talked of his beloved son that he had lost during the Siege of Ba Sing Se and how his death had tormented him all these years. Of how he'd given up the title of Fire Lord and regretted it to this day- not because of the power it would have brought him, but because maybe he would have been able to prevent Ozai from going to war.

Slipping quietly from her rooms, she tiptoed down the hall past the two rooms that Zuko and Iroh slept in, knowing full well that Zuko's door would be cracked only a hair. She then went into the main tea room and out a side door that led into the small garden Iroh kept to grow various herbs and plants. It was a modest garden but it had in it a stone bench which she immediately dropped onto, a little winded from the walk; despite the weeks that had passed since her rescue, she found she was still weak. She had suffered for many months and Iroh had told her it'd be some time before she was totally herself again. But as she grew stronger, she grew impatient. She hated being confined to a bed, to a room. This was a new type of prison. There were things she needed to be doing- like looking for her brother and the others. Like finding a way to put an end to the war and to Ozai's madness. And avenge the fallen Avatar.

During this time, she'd begun to finally process the loss of Aang- back then, when it had first happened, she'd not really had a chance to do so. There had been so much going on, from planning another attack to being on the run… And of course being captured. There had never been a moment for her to stop and think about what had happened. No time for her to process the loss of her close friend. His loss had hit her hard, he had been her closest friend… Had been someone special. His cheery disposition had always put a smile on her face and his power had been awe-inspiring. To think he was never going to come back… That he was never going to laugh in his easy-going way and hop onto his hang glider. It was almost too much for her to bear.

It was only a moment later that Katara realized the tears were coursing down her cheeks; they had spent years together, she and Aang, as well as everyone else. They had been nothing more than children back in the beginning… they had grown up together in many ways. Their journey had been long and yet, it almost seemed short. Her hands slid over her face and she cried quietly, hunched over at the waist, her hair falling over her shoulders.

Zuko had followed after her, he could not help it.

Though she'd thought she'd gone undetected, Zuko had noticed her creeping down the hallway; he had trained himself to listen for everything and anything, including the softest of footsteps. Hers were recognizable to him anyways. He had given her ten minutes before he rose up from bed and shrugged on his outer robe, leaving it open as he slipped from the room. Following the path she'd just taken, he was led into the garden and at once he caught sight of her. She sat on the stone bench, her eyes staring out at something even she didn't see, the moonlight bathing her in a soft, white light. And then those eyes closed and he could see the tears as they began to roll down her cheeks. He watched as she placed her hands over her face and leaned over, her shoulders quivering as she began to sob. His heart clenched in his chest and Zuko longed to offer her some sort of comfort. He understood her pain, it was the pain of loss; losing someone was never easy, especially when that someone was your dearest friend. Not when that same friend was the hope for all of the world. He had felt Aang's loss as well, having become close with the young Avatar quickly once they'd become companions. That time together felt like lifetimes ago.

Giving her a few moments more alone, Zuko finally approached her; his footsteps alerted her and she looked up, their eyes locking. And then her face crumpled once again. He was beside her in an instant, drawing her to him, locking his arms around her as she turned to him, her face buried in his shoulder. They remained like that for what felt like hours, until her sobs had faded into hiccups and then she was pulling away, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry… I…" She trailed off, turning away as she wiped the remnants of the tears away from her cheeks. "I didn't mean to fall apart on you like that." She attempted to chuckle but instead it came out like a little sob and she fell silent, turned completely away from him, her hands in her lap.

He knew he wasn't the best at this sort of stuff- growing up did not make him any less awkward than he'd been all his life. But somehow, right then, he knew exactly what to do. He reached out, slipping his hand over hers and had to momentarily marvel at how small it was. "You don't have to be strong all the time." He said softly and her face turned to his then, her blue eyes widening in her face. "You… You've gone through _a lot_ , Katara. It's okay to cry sometimes." In truth, he was overwhelmed sometimes with all of his own feelings and he couldn't imagine what she felt. Not only did she have to deal with losing her friend, she had to deal with all the thoughts and feelings that came from her imprisonment. War left them all with scars of all kinds, and in truth sometimes the emotional ones were worse than the physical.

She smiled then, turning away so her profile was in his view; her eyes closed and she sighed heavily, opening her eyes a moment later. "I know…" She murmured, staring up at the cloudy sky, having almost forgotten the storm that was brewing overhead. "Do you think we can do something?" Her question came a few minutes later, after silence had lapsed between them. Taken by surprise, he arched a brow, unsure at first as to what she meant. She was turning to face him again, her blue eyes still flickering with sorrow, but her lips were set with that determination she had always had. "Can we still end the war?"

After a long moment, Zuko nodded his head, knowing deep down within his heart that this was not the end. So long as he lived, he'd not let his father control the four nations and plunge the world deeper into chaos and destruction. He would not allow his sister to claim his spot as heir to the throne and he would one day take the crown and lead his people and the rest of the world to peace. Katara took his hands into her own then, smiling as she opened her mouth to speak. But, thunder crashed overhead and the clouds opened up, spilling a hot rain down to the earth. They stared at each other for a few moments while the rain lashed out against them, soaking the both of them in seconds, leaving Katara giggling as Zuko drew her to her feet. "I promise you, we will."

And she believed him.

[ x x x ]

"I want to go."

Zuko had lifted his gaze to hers, gold meeting sapphire, and he knew there would be no arguing with her. He wasn't entirely sure it was a smart idea- she'd only just begun to have the strength to remain on her feet for hours at a time, had only just left the confines of her bed a few weeks before. But as he looked upon her face, he knew she would not back down. She'd been bringing it up for days now, offhandedly of course, and he'd never taken the bait. But today… He knew he couldn't avoid the subject forever. And besides, he wanted to be out there too.

In the months since her rescue from the Fire Nation palace, the world had been plunged even further into chaos. His father continued to bully the other nations into compliance, trying with all of his might to coerce a marriage between Azula and an Earth Kingdom prince. It was rumored that Azula had not yet required her wits since her battle with her brother and she was kept locked away as if she were a prisoner too. Zuko wondered how she fared- no matter the strife between them, she was still his sister. Corrupted by their father, her always damaged mind simply couldn't take it… He couldn't blame her for that. Word had come from the palace to Iroh that both Katara and he were top on a list to be found by the soldiers. As he had once sought the Avatar to regain his honor, he was now sought after to be destroyed. And Katara… It was hard to say what his father wanted with her exactly. As a trophy of his triumph over the Avatar and his comrades? To cut down before an entire nation as a symbol of his strength? To lock her away until she wished for her very own destruction? He knew none of that would happen though… He'd never allow anything to happen to her again.

And so, though part of him wished to tell her no, Zuko had nodded his head and gave in. That was how they ended up where they were right then, on the outskirts of a Fire Nation town loyal to the Fire Lord and his war. It was late into the night and they had stopped after barely escaping a battalion of soldiers- and they certainly wouldn't have without Katara's quick thinking. Her bending abilities had returned to her slowly at first, as she'd grown stronger, until now when they were back at their peak. And the soldiers had chosen the wrong night to mess with a water bender. With the moon rising high in the sky, though not a full moon, it was enough to offer her a little extra boost. It was incredible, watching Katara bend, her power great and her determination even stronger. She had taken out three soldiers before Zuko had time to react but then he too joined into the fray and together they'd gotten away. Barely, just barely.

Tucked away into a cave, so far into the back that they surely could not be spotted, Zuko had built them a small fire to offer them some light. Katara sat beside him, her knees drawn up to her chest, chin atop them and arms wound around her legs; her eyes were open but they were unseeing as they stared into the crackling fire. Zuko allowed her the silence, knowing she was lost deep into thought about something important, he certainly wasn't going to interrupt her. Silence had descended for what felt like hours and Zuko was growing tired and as he looked across to her, it seemed like she had fallen asleep sitting up. But as if she felt his eyes upon her, her sapphire hues snapped open and she offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry…" She began, raising her head and giving it a little shake. "I got lost in my head, I guess…"

"Don't be," he said, shaking his own head, reaching up a hand to run through his hair. For a moment he debated on asking her just what she'd been thinking about. Her eyes had darkened and he wondered if she was lost to the memories of the last battle.. Those same memories still haunted him. The death toll had mounted, bodies littering the battleground all around them. His father and Aang, high above them all, dueling it out until finally… One body had plummeted to the ground, stopped from being destroyed by the fall by Katara who despite being injured had raised a wave of water to cradle the body. It was as if she'd known long before the rest of them that Aang was lost. They'd always had a connection the others could never explain. Zuko would never forget the feelings that had taken over him when he'd seen his friend, limp and unmoving in Katara's arms. He'd never forget the piercing stare she'd fixed upon him as he'd knelt down beside Sokka, no tears in her eyes, nothing at all in those eyes. Nothing… "What were you thinking about?" The question left his lips before he could stop himself. She tilted her head, dark locks cascading over a shoulder as her lips twitched with a smile.

"Sokka," she said after a few moments, the smile slipping and her eyes returning their focus on the fire. "I just… I just hope he's okay." despite his and Iroh's best efforts, there had been no word on the young man that was Katara's brother. It was as if he had simply vanished. In the grand scheme of things, that was perhaps for the best, because if they couldn't find word on him than neither could his father. Though Sokka would not be as big of a target as his sister, Zuko knew his father and knew him well. He knew he'd never allow any of Team Avatar to live, not even a non-bender. Especially one such as Sokka, who surely would die before betraying the side he was on. No, Zuko knew he had to be out there somewhere… Probably looking for his sister. He had always wished to be close with his sister as Sokka and Katara were… He had always been envious of the relationship they had shared.

"I know he's alright. He's out there somewhere." Zuko met her gaze as she looked up once more, her eyes flickering with emotion. "He's out there looking for you, too." Tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over, but she was smiling then and Zuko returned the smile with one of his own. "We'll find him, Katara, I promise we will. We'll find everyone and be together again." She closed her eyes and a single tear slipped down, trailing the curve of her cheek, and without thinking about it, Zuko reached out, his thumb swiping away all traces of it. Her eyes opened and their eyes met, and it was like time was at a standstill. Then she was scooting closer to him and her head slipped to sit against his collarbone, her face turned to give him only the sight of her profile. It was strange how right such a thing felt. Zuko swallowed hard and slipped an arm around her slim waist, tugging her a little bit closer to him until the gap between them was gone. Her hair was soft against his skin and her scent was familiar in his nose; after all these years together, he had thought he'd known everything about her. But it seemed that she was still full of surprises.

Silence descended and Zuko merely listened to the soft sounds of her breathing, realizing a little while later that she had drifted off to sleep. Carefully as he could, he navigated her to the ground, onto the blanket she'd spread out earlier in the evening. She mumbled in her sleep but did not wake, and for several long moments Zuko could not help but to appreciate the beauty that she was. She had yet to gain back all the weight from her captivity and it left her all sharp angles, giving her a look that he was not yet quite used to. He reached out a hand, brushing a dark lock of hair from her face, his hand lingering a moment before he drew it back. A sigh escaped him and he hoped with all of his might he could help her find Sokka and the others. They may have to live without Aang, but he certainly hoped she wouldn't have to live without her brother and other comrades.

Extinguishing the little flicker of a fire that remained, Zuko lay down beside her, careful to ensure there was an appropriate distance between them. He lay there for what felt like hours, listening to the soft sounds of her breathing, all the while growing more and more tired. The darkness was all around them and from faraway he could hear the low rumble of thunder, of yet another summer storm coming to pass overhead. At least inside the cave they were safe and dry. He closed his eyes and slipped an arm beneath his head as a makeshift pillow, shifting until he found the most comfortable position he could find lying on the cold, hard ground of a cave. He felt the brush of a leg and opened an eye, peering into the darkness to see that Katara had rolled towards him and her right leg was slipping between his, her one arm outstretched slightly. Unable to help but to smile, Zuko closed his eyes and drifted off, knowing he'd dream of something happy for the first time in years.


	3. Chapter 3

They traveled for days, for weeks, for nearly two months… and yet they had found nothing.

Every lead led them nowhere, every possible sighting turned out to be false. Though Katara hated to admit it, she was beginning to lose hope of ever finding Sokka and the others. The closest they'd come was when they had stumbled upon a few Kyoshi warriors and Katara had thought they'd finally found them. If Kyoshi warriors were there, then surely Suki was there, and where Suki was Sokka was sure to be as well. But, she'd been severely disappointed when the warriors had told them the last they'd seen of either Suki or Sokka had been nearly a year ago when the last battle had taken place.

A year… It was hard to believe it'd been a year since the loss of Aang and since the last time she had seen her brother and friends. As she looked to her left, to where Zuko walked along beside her, she felt her heart flutter; at least she had him. At least they were together. He had tried to keep her spirits up, had tried to keep her going when she'd thought she couldn't go on another step. He kept her optimistic, offered her words of encouragement that they'd find them someday. He promised her that he'd never give up searching for Sokka and the others. She smiled at the memory of the words he'd spoken to her and turned away, focusing her gaze instead upon the rocky ravine on which they walked. They'd come into the Earth Kingdom some days before and had found it to be completely infiltrated with Fire Nation soldiers. The place they had thought they'd be safe was anything but that.

"Katara?"

Hearing her name, she paused, looking once again to her left where Zuko too had come to a stop, his arm extending, pointing out over the ridge. "Look." she followed his finger to where it pointed and she could see them, the ten or so Fire Nation soldiers that marched along the river that flowed the hundred feet or so below them. He grabbed her arm and steered her away from the edge, drawing her and himself out of sight should the soldiers happen to look up. "Maybe we should stop awhile." He looked at her and she sighed, before finally nodding; he knew that she'd never stop if he didn't force her. He could see the sorrow in her eyes, every day it deepened, every day she looked a little more lost though she tried hard to hide it. "Let's find a place." Zuko gestured for her to follow after him and she followed, only a few steps behind him as they walked through a clearing of trees, keeping their eyes open for any sign of a spot they could rest and recharge.

"There," it was her turn to speak up and she was pointing towards the east, to where they could both see the opening of a cave, barely visible behind a set of boulders and more trees. They headed towards the cave and sure enough, it was perfect; it offered both shelter and privacy, keeping them hidden away from any soldiers that even walked by. Unless you were looking for it, you probably wouldn't see it. "It's pretty deep," she said as they headed inside, her voice reverberating against the walls. A flicker of flame and Zuko held his hand up, the flame cradled in his palm, offering them just enough light to see their way as they got further back into the cave. Turning a corner, they slipped past a rocky ridge and came to a clearing of sorts- a wide, open space where they could build a small fire and rest for the night.

At once Katara began to unpack her single bag which contained a blanket and a cloak, the latter of which she set aside. From her waist she pulled her two water jugs, setting those aside as well before she spread the blanket across the ground, forming a makeshift bed on which they would sleep that night. Beside her Zuko had already ignited a small fire, one which offered them light and warmth. For awhile they sat in silence, side by side, Katara cooking a small meal for them after a while. They made small talk, always having something to say to one another. He had her laughing as he recounted a story from his childhood and she . realized just how long it had been since she'd last laughed _._ As always, it seemed like he brought out the best of her, even in these darkest of times.

Long after night had fallen outside their dwelling, Katara and Zuko laid down beside one another, cloaks draped over their frames, the dying embers of their fire casting eerie shadows along the cave walls. Zuko, though he'd been incredibly awkward about sleeping beside her at first had finally grown accustomed and in truth, welcomed the comfort of her body so close to his own. He lay awake a while after she'd drifted off that evening and he was closing his eyes when she turned over, suddenly facing him. It gave him the chance to survey her, to take in the sight of her lovely features, his own cheeks flushing as he realized it was incredibly creepy for him to be doing so. Shutting his eyes as quickly as they'd opened, Zuko forced away the thoughts of her that he had been having a little too often as of late. It was hard not to think of her in such a way though- not only was she beautiful, she was smart, she was strong, and she was cunning. There was so much to love about a girl like Katara.

He just couldn't help it.

[ x x x ]

 _Footsteps…_

 _They were quickly approaching, footsteps accompanied by distinct voices of the soldiers she had come to know over the last few days. The door to her cell swung open and the light streamed in, blinding her; a hand grabbed hold of her arm and she was yanked upwards off of her pallet, the soldier cursing in irritation as she stumbled. "Come on." He barked, pulling harder, the skin beneath his grip turning blue with a bruise. Katara allowed him to drag her from the cell and down the familiar corridor that led into another room, one that she knew was where they would bid her to fight. Her heart was hammering hard within her chest as they shoved her into the room, closing the door behind her. She turned back to face the door, a hand reaching out to turn the knob._

" _It will not open."_

 _She gasped and turned back around, sapphire eyes narrowing as she peered through the darkness. Like a match was struck, a flame was lit and she found herself to be standing face to face with Ozai, the Fire Lord, or Phoenix King as he continued to style himself these days. This was quite unlike the last time they'd met, when she had been cleaned up and dressed for such an occasion. Even he was not dressed in his usual finery, instead he'd been stripped to a plain sort of tunic, his dark hair pulled back away from his still young face. "We meet again," Ozai's mouth curved with a malicious sort of smile and Katara felt her stomach twist into a knot, fear creeping into her heart and mind. Whatever was to come certainly would not be good. "It would seem you need a little…. Persuasion to join me, Katara." His voice was eerily quiet as he stepped closer to her, the flame in his palm dancing, his golden eyes flickering like the flame itself. She realized then that though their eyes were of similar coloring, those were not Zuko's eyes. His eyes had been softer, so much more human than these eyes she looked into._

" _I will never join you," she said fiercely, her hands curling into fists at her sides; she was beginning to understand what was to happen now. She was remembering something Zuko had told her, the story of how he had received the scar on his face… Ozai was right before her then, his mouth still smiling that malevolent smile that sent chills racing down her spine. Blue hues darted back and forth, knowing she had no real way of fighting back, especially against the Fire Lord himself. He was a renowned bender, known for both his physical prowess as well as his blue lightning. Sweat beaded on her brow and she took a single step back, keeping her gaze concentrated on his face. "You may as well kill me now."_

 _Ozai laughed, the sound like one she'd never forget; the sound of a crazed man, of a man with too much power and too much evil inside of his heart. Her own heart continued to pound and he raised a hand, the fire breathing to life like a dragon; at that same moment, she threw her own hand out and the sweat on her brow shot out, frozen solid pellets that hit Ozai in the face before he could lash out with his fire. He gave a bellow and stepped back, reaching a hand up to run down his face, feeling the blood from the several spots the girl's attack had hit him. Ice.. She'd frozen her own sweat… Well, he certainly had to give her credit, but his anger was rising like the tide. He threw his hands down to his sides and the flames shot forth from his palms, rising around him, the darkness creeping into his eyes. Katara swallowed down a breath and knew, this very well could be it._

 _The fire was hot as it rose around her, the flames licking at her limbs, singeing the end of her tunic. As she lifted her gaze, blue eyes met gold and she knew this was only going to be the beginning._

[ x x x ]

She woke with a gasp, flying up to a sitting position, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Beside her, Zuko was stirring, rising up to turn to her, her name on his lips. "I'm sorry… I…" She trailed off, shaking her head, a hand reaching up to wipe the sweat from her brow. "A dream, it was just a dream…" She murmured aloud, though certainly more so to herself than to Zuko, but she felt his hand on her shoulder and was comforted by the weight of it. Turning her head, she met his gaze, eyes so unlike the ones she had seen in her dream and a shaky sigh escaped her lips. "I'm sorry for waking you."

Zuko gave his head a shake, offering her a small smile. "It's okay," he was watching her face and he could see the darkness within her eyes. The dream, whatever it had been, was causing her pain. Clearly it was anything but a normal sort of dream. "You wanna talk about it?" He relit their fire and the cave came to life, the golden light dancing around them.

For several moments, Katara stared at him in silence, debating on what it was she could say to him. But, finally she gave a little nod and the words began to spill from her lips. On how the dream had been more than a dream, more than a nightmare; it'd been a memory. She told him how frightened she had been when they'd shoved her inside that room, on how she'd had no idea about what was to come. About how the Fire Lord, Zuko's own father, had stood inside the darkness waiting for her. She told him about their exchange, about how Ozai had given her one last chance to come to his side but of course she had declined. It was hard to stop she found once she'd started and the words just kept coming. She told him how she'd made the first move, how she had nailed him right in the face hard enough to draw blood. But that had been her only line of defense… Except of course blood bending. She told him how he'd attacked her next, how she had managed to dodge but just barely. She told him how the next attack she'd not been so lucky and she extended her arm, showing him the burn scars he'd always wondered how she'd gotten.

The more that Katara spoke, the angrier Zuko became; to think, all of these things had been done to her by his own father. She was telling him then how she had been knocked to the ground and how he had stood above her, and she knew there was nothing else she could do but blood bend. The ability had always been rumored to exist, but Ozai had never once seen it in action; Katara could still remember the shock upon his face as she had taken control over his limbs. But it had not lasted long- her ability to bend had been growing weaker by that point, after weeks of starvation and torture it was a wonder she could bend at all. Ozai had soon overpowered her and her punishment for that incident would last for weeks to come.

As she fell silent she felt oddly compelled to keep on talking; there was so much more to say, so much more that she had experienced. She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, telling him the things she had just told him, but she knew better than to continue on. It was a lot for someone to take in, especially when that person was the son of her attacker. Katara couldn't imagine what it felt like to be Zuko- to know his father was the root of all the war and destruction of the world. It was incredible that he'd turned out the way that he had, especially with the way Azula had turned out. She could only attribute it to his mother, who he rarely spoke of, but she had once seen a painting of. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" She trailed off, turning away, her cheeks flaming red as she realized she'd been talking nonstop for nearly a half hour. Surely he would want to go back to sleep.

"No… I'm glad you told me. It's not good to hold that all in." Zuko said after a moment, reaching out to take her hand, forcing her to look at him again. " _I'm_ sorry," he went on to say, shaking his head, golden eyes burning into hers. "For what he did to you… For what he let his soldiers do to you…" Katara felt her heart turnover and she grasped his hands tighter, trying to smile. "I'd give anything to take it back." His words were quiet and she had to strain to hear them, had to wonder if she had only imagined them. "I'd give anything to have taken your place. You didn't deserve that."

"Don't apologize, Zuko. You aren't responsible for your father's actions…" Katara gripped his hands and felt him squeeze back as she tilted her head to the side. "No one deserves what happened to me, but it happened and there's no taking it back." Her voice was strong and her eyes flashed with determination. "We're going to stop him from hurting anyone else ever again."

Zuko nodded slowly, awed by her resolve, by her fortitude and her optimistic outlook. It was usually him that tried to be encouraging, that tried to keep her going, but instead it was her turn. He couldn't say what took over him next but all he knew was he could not stop himself; he leaned in, his lips hovering a mere inch or so from hers, and then they touched. At once she was responding, slowly at first, until she was kissing him fiercely, a hand rising up to tangle up in his messy, black locks. He felt warmth spreading from his head to his toes, his own arm snaking around her waist, drawing her closer to him. She fit perfectly against him and Zuko could not help but to wonder why he'd waited so long to do this.

So many thoughts were racing through her mind, but at the end, they all came back to him. Katara felt his hand sweeping through her hair, his nimble digits entangling themselves in her long locks. After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart, breathless and smiling as they stared into one another's eyes. Neither could find the words to say, but maybe there weren't any to be said. His hand slid from her hair to her face, his palm cupping her cheek, her lips twitching with a smile. He could have stayed in that moment forever, simply staring into her cobalt colored eyes and watching her smile.

Katara realized then that she longed to feel his lips against hers again and so she closed the gap between them, her lips finding his. His tongue was pushing lightly against her lips and she parted them, giving him entrance to her mouth, his kiss fully of fiery passion, yet was gentle all the same. His left hand was on her waist and his right one was sliding back into her hair, the softness of her locks surprising him. His lips pulled away from hers then, instead trailing kisses down from the corner of her mouth and onto her neck; she tipped her head back, exposing to him the curve of her neck, his lips over every inch of her skin. "Zuko…" She murmured his name, the sound exquisite, a sound like nothing else he had ever heard in all his life. He returned his lips to hers and he heard her little whimper of protest, a sound that aroused him unlike anything else ever had. She was kissing him deeply, their tongues meeting and separating, his hands roaming the length of her body to stop at her hips.

He pulled back then, holding her for a moment at arms length, his eyes dark with desire, his vocals husky as he whispered her name. "Katara…" His hands slid back up, hesitantly grasping at her breast, longing to feel the warmth of her skin against his, but he wasn't exactly sure where this was going. He certainly didn't want to rush her, but he also didn't want it to end either. As if she could read his mind, she was pulling back just enough to give her the space to pull her tunic over her head, revealing to him her bare body. Zuko could only stare for several long moments, taking in the sight of her. "You're beautiful." He whispered finally, leaning in to kiss her again, his one hand still remaining on her breast, his thumb rubbing circles against her nipple. Their lips met and he trailed kisses along her jaw, his free hand reaching up to run through her long, dark locks. She was moaning into his ear, sweet and low, his erection pulsing within his pants. Her name was on his lips and for a moment their eyes met, a silent question posed between them. She the smiled and nodded, allowing him to then take hold, to take control. He gently pushed her down onto her back, his hands shaking as he slipped his pants off before climbing over top of her, positioning himself between her legs. As he entered her, she gave a little gasp, her nails clawing down the length of his back. He thrust into her, harder and faster as she cried out, her hips grinding against his, until he could stand it no more. When he'd finished, he drew back and rolled onto her left side, panting; she turned over to face him, a smile spreading over her lips.

"Who would have thought…" She trailed off and a chuckle escaped him, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her brow. They both recalled the memories of youth, of their time together on Team Avatar and the countless people who'd mistaken them for the other's significant other. How they'd both vehemently deny it but… The thought had probably always been there. He drew her closer to him and she rolled over, her back pressed against him; Zuko could not help but to marvel at how perfectly she fit. Silence descended and after awhile, her breathing softened and he knew she'd drifted off to sleep. He lay there for hours after, merely listening to her breathe, feeling her heart beating into his palm. In all of the years he'd known her, form the moment he'd first laid eyes upon her, he had felt the attraction. He had always felt it, even in his days with Mai, he'd felt a connection to her that he simply could not explain. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep, feeling the happiest he had felt in years and years.


	4. Chapter 4

They finally had a lead.

An old man in a small, destitute village had stopped them on the street, whispering what Zuko could only have called madness. But Katara had shushed him and had stopped the man from speaking, shushing him quietly and then encouraging him to speak at a slower pace. _Blue eyes like yours… I've seen those eyes before…_ Katara had known at once that it had to be Sokka. When she asked if it had been a male, the old man had smiled and nodded, gesturing to the west, where a village was known to be heavy with the soldiers. It was a war town, one loyal to the Phoenix King and his ideals. _They were taking him there._

That had been all Katara needed to hear.

Within a day they were closing in on the village, traveling cloaks pulled over their heads, hiding their faces and thus their identities. "Zuko…" She raised a hand, pointing across the way to where a gathering of ten soldiers stood, outside of what she could only assume was their headquarters. "You think there's more of them?" The wind was blowing and Katara reached up a hand, holding onto her hood to keep it up over her head. Before Zuko could respond, they saw him… But it wasn't Sokka.

Admiral Zhao stood amongst his men, back to the east where the two teens were hidden, watching his every movement. "Men!" His men snapped to attention, circling around him; since the battle in the Northern Water Tribes, he'd become a right hand man to the Fire Lord, often at his side or fighting his battles. Zhao had once taken the life of the Moon Spirit and it had earned him the respect of the Fire Lord and all of those loyal to him. His career had advanced even further and he found himself to be the High Admiral, overseeing all of the fire nation navy as well as heading a small, private tactical team that served Ozai personally. His always somewhat unstable mind seemed to have snapped- leaving him a man full of greed and malice. Everything he did was for his own gain, his own benefit… it didn't matter who he left dead in his wake. His hands were bloodied with the blood of hundreds of innocents. "We are close to our targets, I can feel it!" His men let out a cheer, fists pumping into the sky, a ripple of fire raising from their palms. Zhao and his men had been tasked with something important: find the once honored prince and the peasant girl from the South.

He remembered the two well, as he remembered all of that little gang. The stubborn girl, the last of her kind, one he knew he'd grow to fear if he did not squash her. And of course Zuko, how could he forget the banished prince who had sought only his honor? Zuko had never had the skills of his sister Azula, but Zhao had watched him grow as a bender and knew he too would grow to be a Master in time. The others of that group… Heh, he smirked thinking of the others, and threw a fist into the air along with his men. "We will find the two of them and bring them to our Phoenix King. It is his will!"

"It is his will," the soldiers chanted back, their voices carrying along the wind, reaching Katara and Zuko where they hid. Katara kept her eyes on the Admiral, poised like she was ready to pounce; Zuko could see the feelings as they flashed through her eyes and he reached out a hand, covering hers with it, giving it a gentle squeeze. She relaxed a bit and squeezed his hand back, offering the smallest of smiles as accompaniment.

"Can we take them all?" Zuko asked a moment later, returning his hand to his side, a mischievous grin making its way across his face. At once Katara turned her gaze to the ten soldiers, her head tilted to the side, her hand on the flask on her hip. Then she raised her gaze upward to the sky, where the moon was breaking through the clouds, bathing her in it's white light. She could feel her untapped power igniting within her and she let out a breath, nodding her head. There was no doubt in her mind, they would take down every one of those soldiers and then find out where Sokka and the others were. "Plan Alpha?" Another nod. Zuko felt a wave of adrenalin coursing through his veins and like Katara was confident in their abilities to take down the small brigade.

Leaping out from behind the rocks they hid behind, the two darted forwards, separating half way to each run around opposite sides of the building the soldiers stood behind. Zhao was still speaking to his men as Katara crept up, silently bending a thin layer of water across the ground, her sapphire hues transfixed on their feet, her mind focused on the task at hand. Without warning, Zuko was on the move, the fire expanding from his palms, hitting its intended target of one of the soldiers closest to where he'd been standing. At once the soldiers were reacting, but that layer of water was suddenly frozen and the soldiers began to lose their balance, three of them actually taking a tumble to the ground. In an instant the battle was on, with Zuko managing to knock out another of the soldiers while Katara froze the three fallen soldiers into a solid block of ice so thick that even their bending would not help them. A soldier came at her and their abilities met in the air, leaving behind a cloud of steam. The water rose around her like whips and she lashed out.. Once, twice, three times before she sent the soldier to the ground. Zuko had taken another of the soldiers down when suddenly, a voice rang out: "Enough!"

All parties ceased fire and turned to the source, to see Zhao standing there, a somewhat amused smile resting on his features. "It _is_ you," he was saying, his golden eyes narrowing as they came to fall upon the pair that had come out of nowhere. The cloaks had fallen away and thus their identities revealed- but he would have known that style of fire bending anywhere. He had known it was Zuko from the moment he'd launched his attack. Which of course meant the water bender was that peasant girl he could remember from the Northern Water Tribe. He could see how strong they'd become over the years. He could see how war had changed them, hardened them. "Here to stop the war, are you Prince Zuko?" His tone was mocking, his eyes flashing with a silent threat. Katara felt Zuko stiffen beside her but he did not respond, did not make a move at all. "Do you honestly think a pair of kids can make a difference? The Avatar's gone, give it up! The war ended a long time ago. The Phoenix King has won."

"He'll never have won." Katara spit out, her water rising around her once more, her temper getting the best of her. "We'll never stop fighting back." Zhao did not respond but was smiling, his silence infuriating. "Tell me where my brother is."

Ah, so that was it. Zhao had not forgotten that the young man he'd brought to this place only days before had been this girl's older brother. He remembered that boy from the battle in the Northern tribe as well, as he had been close to the princess, the one who gave her life to bring back the Moon Spirit. The boy had no bending abilities but had a fighting spirit all the same. A laugh was escaping him then, a real, true booming laugh that left a sick feeling in the pit of Katara's stomach. "Your brother?" Zhao laughed, turning to his men who still stood, all of them knowing full well what was to come. "Your brother is dead."

Katara felt her world come to a full stop; the ground beneath her then began to sway as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her weight. "What did you say?" She heard Zuko say, his voice loud, his tone

incredulous; she glanced his way, to see his amber eyes widening in his stricken face. The world continued to spin as she turned back to Zhao, her heart thumping hard inside of her chest. _No…_

Before them, the Fire Nation admiral chuckled, his arms folding over his chest as he turned his gaze onto the young water bender. "You heard what I said." His lips were curving into a wicked sort of smile, his brown eyes remaining locked onto the sapphire eyes of the girl. "I said, the boy is dead." The girl dropped to her knees then, hands rising to cover her face as her features contorted with her grief. Beside her, the once beloved Fire Nation prince was curling his hands into fists, his eyes closed as anger flooded him. Before Zhao could speak again, the flames were coming straight for him; he blocked the prince's attack and shot back one of his own, impressed by the quickness of his attacks and even the strength behind them. "He fought for his life as well as for yours!" Zhao directed his speech at Katara, who still knelt on the ground with her hands over her face. He honestly didn't even know if she was listening anymore. "He never gave you up, I know he knew where you hid, but he never told. He died to protect you… But you've given yourself up, unfortunate that he'll have died in vain." The battle was struck back up and the soldiers not taken out already were joining their admiral in the fight. Zuko glanced at Katara who had not yet moved and knew he was outnumbered, unless she would stand up. He felt his anger surging at the sight of her and knew he had to try, knew he had to do everything in his power to fight back and protect her.

And so he did.

One by one he'd taken them down until there was no one but Zhao and two of his soldiers; Zuko stood, panting, sweat dripping down his face. He was burned but he was alive… He was injured but he was winning. Unbeknownst to him though, one of the men was rising up behind him, unnoticed by Zuko who was too focused on the moving targets before him. The soldier let out a breath and then the fire shot from his palms, aiming right for the prince's back. Zuko felt the hairs on his neck stand up, a cold dread suddenly filling him up; he turned, one second too slowly, and he saw the fireball coming straight for him.

But it did not make it.

The fire was met midair by a jet of water that evaporated the fire into steam; Zuko turned to see that Katara had stood up, the water rising around her, a look like he'd never before seen on her face. No longer crying, she was void of any emotion at all, a look that frightened him. Zhao noticed the look as well and something in the back of his mind told him things were about to change. The girl swiveled on the spot to instead face him and his soldiers flanked his either side, only two of them remaining. "Tell me, are you to avenge your fallen brother? Do you think you can kill me?" Zhao chuckled, giving off a nonchalant air. In truth, he could not be worried over mere teenagers. His men had fallen yes, but not all of them, and he certainly wouldn't fall himself. "Do you really think you can win?"

With a snap of his fingers, the two soldiers dashed forward, coming right for her; she made no movements, instead she'd bowed her head, hands hanging at her sides. Zuko felt his stomach tighten and he called out to her, the familiar syllables of her name strained by his fear for her life. What was she doing? Why wasn't she moving? But then she was looking up and her hands were coming up, palms raised towards the sky; the water shot up from the ground like a wall, slamming into the two soldiers, sending them flying backwards. With a yell the men crashed to the ground and slid, laying there momentarily stunned into paralysis. Before they had a chance to recover their wits, Katara was inching forward, the water rising up around the two soldiers.

Zuko stood frozen in place, watching in awe as the water bender unleashed the truth of her power. He had seen her in action before, many times really, but never like this. Within moments she had knocked the two remaining soldiers aside, their bodies laying limp on the ground at her feet. Zhao, like him, had been watching in silence, his face passive, though his arms had fallen to hang down at his sides. If he was worried about what was to come with fighting the young water bender, then he certainly did not show it. But Zuko had to offer up a silent thanks that he'd left the Fire Nation behind years ago- fighting Katara would not end well for him, that was assured.

"You may have taken my men down, but you won't take me down." Zhao's baritone vocals filtered in through her ears, but she made no movement, did not even look up. He was smirking, arms raising up, his hands tightening into fists, his stance wide as he prepared for what was to come. Without warning, Zhao was rushing forward, his flames several inches ahead of him as he ran. Aimed right for Katara, Zuko called out to her when she had yet to move, but to his shock, she merely looked up, her hands in front of her. A wall of water shot up and froze, blocking the attack from Zhao; though his fire so hot, it began to melt the ice at once, the hole where his fist landed growing wider and wider until he could see her face. Her always expressive eyes were void of anything at all, giving the young woman a frightening sort of look.

The ice was then gone and she was leaping backwards, just barely outside his reach; Zhao aimed a kick of fire her way, a move she'd seen Zuko do hundreds of times, reminding her that he had once trained with the admiral. There had never been a fight in all of her life that she knew she needed to win, not like this. Nothing would ever compare to what she felt inside at the knowledge that Sokka was gone. No… No, she told herself, she couldn't think about that right then. She couldn't get lost in all of the emotions. Those would come later. "I'm going to make you regret everything you've done with your life." The quiet words fell from her lips and the admiral chuckled, as if he didn't believe what she said. Well, he would believe it soon enough.

Flames came for her yet again and she managed to block with a fresh wave of water and she spun around, ducking to the ground as he aimed another kick her way. The flames just brushed across her arm, singeing her skin but her expression never changed. They went back and forth, back and forth, until Zhao found himself growing tired of the game. "You're strong, but I'm… I'm stronger." His smile was wicked and at once Zuko saw the telltale signs of what he was to do next. The lightning was flickering at his finger tips, the crackle of it sending chills down her spine. Zuko held fast to his position, knowing what he would do if it came right down to it; he was close, close enough to protect her if need be.

This was it. Katara watched his movements as he prepared for the lightning attack; there was no stopping what was to come. As his arms began to extend, she closed her eyes and her hands were rising up, palms down, all of her focus on the task at hand.

Zhao unfurled his fingers, fully prepared to release his lightning when something odd happened; his fingers retracted, curling inwards to form fists. Then his arms snapped down, pinned to his sides where try as he might, he could not move them. His head still moveable, he snapped his gaze upwards, meeting the young water bender's eyes. "What…" He had heard of this, this blood bending ability that some few water bender's had. He'd heard rumors of it but never once experienced it. Had he not been on the receiving end of it, he might have been impressed. The power of such an ability, to take total control over one's entire body… He wished, for the first time in his life, that he was a water bender. To have that kind of power… It was mind blowing. The girl however looked as if she did not enjoy doing it at all, it seemed instead that she seemed to be fighting against it. "What's the matter? Your heart doesn't seem in it."

His words echoed inside of her thoughts an Katara gritted her teeth, fists tightening enough to send the admiral to his knees. Zhao was laughing, despite being on his knees, his golden eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Without warning, she slammed her hands down, hard enough to hit the ground and his body followed suit. The admiral fell face flat to the ground, his laughter cut off abruptly has his face made contact with the ground. "Maybe you just shouldn't talk." Katara advised as she lifted him back off the ground, twisting his arm behind his back in a painful manner.

Beside her, Zuko felt his heart skip a beat- this was not the Katara he knew. He knew he needed to stop her before her anger and resentment for the man consumed here completely. And then he saw it; gathering in the distance was another group of soldiers, surely called upon by the local villagers who had been watching from their windows. "Katara," he said quietly but she seemed to not hear him. "Katara," he tried once again, this time reaching out to place a hand over her shoulder. She jumped and turned to him, her sapphire hues swirling with emotions. He felt his heart breaking at the sight of her and knew he had to do something to get her away. As if she suddenly snapped back into reality, her arms fell limply at her side and Zhao slumped over, apparently regaining control over his own limbs once more. "We need to go." He glanced over her shoulder and she turned, following his line of sight to see the soldiers rushing for them. Zhao was rising up and she was on the move, breathing out an icy breath, freezing his hands to the ground before he had the chance. It wouldn't give them much time, but maybe just enough. Zuko took her by the hand and pulled, dragging her along with him.

They ran.

They ran until they were stumbling, panting, hands still joined together. Somehow they had managed to separate themselves from the soldiers chasing after them, whether they'd lost them or they'd given up the chase. But they were safe, at least relatively so.

[ x x x ]

Hours later, they were tucked away in an old, abandoned hut that they had managed to stumble across. It was so late it was early, as dawn was already upon them as they fell upon the old pallet on the floor, neither one speaking, neither one even offering the other a glance. It was a short while later that Katara was reaching for him, her warm palms taking hold of his arm; he tilted his head, watching intently as she healed his burns, moving from his arm and up to his face. Her palm cupped his burned cheek and he could not help himself but to slip his hand over hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her eyes met his but then she pulled away, retreating into herself as she idly ran a fingertip over her own various burns. Then she began to heal them as well, one by one until she too was healed. At least of her physical wounds.

She was quiet for a long time, sitting there beside him, until he wondered if she'd fallen asleep. But then, he heard her speaking, so softly that he had to strain to hear her words. "I once swore I'd never blood bend again." Her whisper was full of pain, her eyes full of anguish as she drew her knees up to her chest, tears threatening to spill over. "But…" Her face buried into her knees, he heard the cry that escaped her and watched as she dissolved into body wracking sobs, finally giving way to the hurricane of emotions rising within her. "But Sokka…" Her whispered cry was all that he could take; Zuko reached for her then, drawing her to him, wrapping his arms around her thin frame. She was shaking, trembling, crying so hard into his shoulder that she could hardly breathe. Her hands gripped the front of his robes and he shifted her to instead sit on his lap and he kept her wrapped in his embrace, one hand gently stroking the tangled mess of her hair, the other pressed against the small of her back.

For what felt like hours he held onto her, offering soft words of any kind to her, his breath warm against her neck as he whispered into her ear. He held fast to her, holding her as she cried over the loss of her brother. The only real family she had left in this world, considering there had been no sign of her father since the last major battle either. Her brother, the one who had always protected her, fought with her, laughed with her, the one that had grown up at her side… He was lost to her. Having no real relationship with his own sibling, he couldn't even begin to feel the pain that she must have felt. He had suffered loss before, but nothing like this.

Nothing in all of her life had felt like this.

Katara had thought she'd known true pain- losing her mother, losing Aang, suffering in the prison for months and months… But this…? Knowing Sokka was dead hurt more than anything had ever hurt in all of her life. Sokka had been her partner in everything since the moment she'd been born; he'd always stuck around her, protected her, guided her. And while after their mother had died and she'd taken on more of a motherly role, he'd always continued to be her guardian. She had always been able to count on Sokka for anything. And now he was gone, lost to her forever. Zuko's arms around her offered little comfort, but she remained within them anyways. He was all she had left now, especially considering word of her father was more or less nonexistent. Now, she had no one but him. "I just… I just can't believe he's gone." Her voice was muffled against his shoulder and she felt him run a hand down her spine, offering as much comfort as he could. It was only then that she drew back, sniffling, a fresh wave of tears coursing down her cheeks.

"I know, I know," he murmured, doing the only thing he knew he could do; he drew her down onto the pallet, pulling the blanket over them and slipping his arms around her. "It's going to be okay," he whispered as she curled into him, wishing there was something he could do, something he could say. He heard her whispering then, her vocals strained by her tears, and he lowered his head a little bit more, asking her to repeat what she'd said. Her words sent chills down his spine and he held on a little bit tighter, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"I will _never_ leave you."


End file.
